1925 Tennessee,
It was the first day of second grade for Benji, and she was really not happy about having to go BACK to school, her mom had made her wear a dress, it was light green and she had saddle shoes at least, so she wouldn't die. Her hair was in her usual two braids, except this time they had green ribbons at the ends instead of rags like usual, the sun glinted in her red brown hair, and as much as she hated to admit it: the green made her green hazel eyes look really nice.
Benji and Rafe always walked together up to the road where they met Danny and the three of them would walk the half mile to school, sometimes on the way back from school Benji would let the boys carry her because her feet hurt.
"Rafe?"
"Yeah?"
"Why isn't Danny here yet?" They were standing by the road, yet still no sign of Danny, Rafe glanced at his watch,
"I got no clue."
"Well I say we wait five more minutes and then get going, ma'll be mad if we don't get to school on time"
"Yeah your right, he can walk by himself."
Rafe and Benji stood there waiting, and waiting until finally someone comes bursting out of the bushes,
"We're RICH!" Danny screams,
"What?" Rafe and Benji both say,
"My dad invested in some stock a few months ago and it just sky rocketed! We're RICH!" he runs over to them and hugs Benji and Rafe,
"NEAT!"
"Congrats Danny!"
"I KNOW! We're having the house worked on its so great!"
"Uh I hate the be the voice of reason at the current time but we gotta get to school" Benji says starting to walk,
"Yeah your right lets go!" they get to school and since it's a one-room school there are only one teacher who gives them each a different lesson plan.
Benji watched Rafe struggling with reading, the three of them sat at one bench with the desk in front of them. She sat in the middle of the boys, she helped Rafe sound out the words and flip them the right way, so that they made more sense. She had already finished her reading assignment, which was to read a story in her reader, and answer questions on it.
"P-p-urple." Rafe says,
"No people," Benji corrects him, Rafe slams his hand down on the table, and the teacher looks up,
"Is there a problem Rafe?"
"NO ma'am."
"Alright then get back to your lesson"
"Yes ma'am." Rafe bent his head over the book again.
"Oh dear…" the teacher, a Miss. Bonnet says standing up, "I forgot to take attendance this morning. Might as well do it now."
She called each students name and to each students name she got a 'here' or a 'present' when she got to Benji's name,
"Hollie McCawley."
" Here but I would like it if I get called Benji please."
"Why on earth would you like that? Your name is clearly marked as 'Hollie' its such a lovely name,"
"Yes but it's a girlie name."
"I don't even understand where you get this 'Benji' from Hollie,"
"Look it says 'Hollie B McCawley' the B stands for Benjamin" Benji announces proudly. "My dad gave me my middle name!" Danny smiles and Rafe chuckles.
"Yes well in MY classroom you are to be called Hollie,"
"MY. NAME. IS. BENJI!" she makes each word sound like a threat.
"I don't like your tone Missy"
"I don't like yours either, in fact I don't like the way you teach this class, My brother wasn't disturbing the class, I was helping him. He happens to get a little bit frustrated sometimes with reading, but check out his Math he tutors me in that." Benji was getting a little bit mad at this new teacher.
"what kind of a fourth grader needs help reading from their little sister?" the teacher said, Rafe blinked back something that only Benji could see as she glanced at her brother.
Now she was MAD, no one made fun of HER brother without her doing something about it! She practically jumped over Danny,
"Now you listen here MISS. BONNET, My brother is better then you are, AND he's a better pilot then anyone in this entire room, so don't make fun of him or you will have to answer to ME! A.K.A BENJI! Got it?"
Detention that afternoon.
Benji grumbled as she smacked the eraser pads together to get the dust out of them, Danny walked into the class,
"What are you doing here?" She asks him,
"OH I got after school things too… after she sent you out to the hall, I talked back.."
"UH OH I think we got on her bad side" she says sarcastically,
"Yeah me too" they smile.
"I'll wash the black board."
They spend the rest of the afternoon cleaning the school room, Rafe had already left so Danny walked Benji home, he saw her go into the house and then heard her mom swat her on the bottom for talking back to the teacher and getting detention. But wouldn't you know Miss. Bonnet always called her Benji form that day on.
